


Just Because I Want To

by nicolai



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2016-02-17
Packaged: 2018-05-21 08:56:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6045573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nicolai/pseuds/nicolai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Garnet decides it's time to have a brief chat with Peridot and how things on Earth are different from Home World.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Just Because I Want To

“Peridot, we need to talk,” Garnet’s quiet tone had an edge of finality as she went to sit beside the green gem on the couch. 

Peridot looked skeptical, “I don’t want to talk to you,” she replied, taking her feet off the coffee table and sitting up straighter. 

“Then you’re going to listen,” Garnet was softly insistent, though not confrontational- she wasn’t looking for an argument, just to give an explanation. 

“Alright, what is it?” Peridot snapped, crossing her arms and looking up impatiently. 

Garnet placed a hand on the her shoulder, sighed out her irritation at the other’s abrasive manner, and began to speak: “You aren’t on home world, Peridot. What you’ve learned, everything you know about how things *should* be, isn’t true here. And you shouldn’t want it to be.”

Peridot allowed her expression to slip into one of confusion; this just didn’t make sense, but perhaps it made sense that it didn’t make sense. She was talking to someone who was constantly fused (something she’d decided not to object to for the moment, since Garnet’s reaction last time had been less than pleasant), that wasn’t right, and a Pearl who fought and built things and didn’t listen was here, and so was a tiny Amethyst. 

“What you said to Pearl- it wasn’t okay. Nobody’s above anyone here,” Garnet continued. 

“I don’t understand! What’s she for then?!” Peridot shouted, slamming her arms down by her sides in frustration, “What are any of you for? How do you know what you’re for if it’s not like home world?!”

Garnet’s mouth quirked up into a small smile and an understanding, patient chuckle escaped her lips, “That’s the problem, Peridot. Nobody is really “for” anything. Or, better, we’re “for” what we want to be.”

“What?!” Peridot jumped to her feet, her face a mask of incredulity and protest; without that structure, how could anything work?

Garnet reached out to pat her shoulder soothingly, gently pressing her to sit back down for the rest of the explanation, “Peridot, listen to me. I know it’s scary and confusing. It took getting used to for us too, but that was a long time ago. But we’ve been where you are and thinking this is all wrong and weird. But it’s free and good.”

“Free?” Peridot tilted her head to the side, a bit interested in that emphasis. 

“Yes, Peridot. You can be anything you want. Well, not exactly, we won’t let you hurt this planet, but you can be any type of gem you want to be. You’re not *supposed to* be anyone in particular. Like Pearl, on home world, Pearls might be *supposed to* be servants or whatever, but it doesn’t have to be that way. And our Pearl chose a different destiny. She chose to fight with Rose Quartz. She chooses to protect this planet. We’re all in control of our destinies here. You can be too,” Garnet explained. 

Peridot was quiet for a moment, then she nodded, “That’s a lot to think about… Alright,” she wasn’t convinced this was how things should be, but she felt comfortable enough to consider it, “So, you just choose to stay fused? Because you can do that? Even if you’re not fighting? Just because you want to?”

Garnet nodded, “Just because I want to,” then she stood and left the room; best to let Peridot think on this on her own.


End file.
